Cartridge belt feed systems for automatic weapons

ABSTRACT

A cartridge belt feed system for automatic weapons has an ammunition bearer which feeds a cartridge belt into the weapon. The belt grips each cartridge by a link with front and rear claws, having inwardly bent tips forming flat inclined tabs lying within the apparent cross-section of the claw. The links react against the lateral lips of the insertion aperture of the ammunition bearer base-plate, through the outer lateral walls of the tabs. The inclinations of the contact and reaction surfaces of the tabs and lips are such that they co-operate reversibly and permit subsequent extraction of the cartridge in conjunction with a radial distension of the claws. The reaction surfaces may be bevels at the respective claw levels. The front bevels extend higher than the rear ones, to incline the cartridge forwards on insertion.

Uite Sates atent aillard 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [541 CARTRIDGE BELT FEED SYSTEMSFOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS 21 Appl. No.: 882,155

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data July 14, 1969 Switzerland..59l00/69 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,943 11/1945Alter ..89/35 A Maillard ..89/33 CA Lochhead ..89/33 C PrimaryExaminer-Samuel W. Engle Assistant Examiner-Stephen C. BentleyAttorney-Larson, Taylor & Hinds [5 7] ABSTRACT A cartridge belt feedsystem for automatic weapons has an ammunition bearer which feeds acartridge belt into the weapon. The belt grips each cartridge by a linkwith front and rear claws, having inwardly bent tips forming flatinclined tabs lying within the apparent'cross-section of the claw.The'links react against the lateral lips of the insertion aperture ofthe ammunition bearer base-plate, through the outer lateral walls of thetabs. The inclinations of the contact and reaction surfaces of the tabsand lips are such that they co-operate reversibly and permit subsequentextraction of the cartridge in conjunction with a radial distension ofthe claws. The reaction surfaces may be bevels at the respective clawlevels. The front bevels extend higher than the rear ones, to inclinethe cartridge forwards on insertion.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEEBAPR 41912 3,653,289

SHEET 2 [1F 2 CARTRIDGE BELT FEED SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATIC WEAPONS Thisinvention relates to ammunition feed systems for automatic weapons, ofthe kind in which the cartridges to be supplied to the weapon areinterconnected by links each of which clamps a cartridge and is hingedlyconnected to the two adjacent links, the plurality of cartridgesinterlinked thus forming a flexible belt which is conveyed to the weaponby drive means (hereinafter referred to as the ammunition bearer) which,together with said links, will herein be regarded as the essentialcomponent parts of the feed system.

The invention relates more particularly though not exclusively to feedsystems of this kind intended for automatic weapons having a caliberlying between 20 millimeters and 50 millim ters.

Already known are so-called direct feed type feed systems of this kind,in which the ammunition bearer includes a base-plate embodying alongitudinal insertion aperture upon the lateral lips of which the linkclamping the first cartridge to be fed into the weapon reacts throughthe medium of front and rear claws, the cartridge then occupying aso-called insertion position in which it is engaged from the rear by theguns sliding bolt, as the same moves back into its shut position, so asto be extracted from its link by being thrust forward until it occupiesits firing position in the breech prior to being struck by thefiring-pin.

However, in the direct feed type systems resorted to heretofore, thelink surrounding the cartridge in its insertion position usually reactsagainst the lateral lips of the insertion aperture through theend-sections of the front and rear claws on the link, these end-sectionsbeing splayed outwards slightly in relation to the apparent circulartransverse contour of the link, whereby to form bearing tabs.

A result of this arrangement was that the tips of the front and rearclaws of the link, having been splayed outwardly thus, were not incontact with the cartridge in its insertion position and in no wayhelped to restrain the latter, which was consequently gripped by theclaw in question over a circumferential arc of smaller angular aperturethan the circumferential arc corresponding to the total cross-section ofthe claw, i.e. to the cross-section encompassing the tab-shaped tips ofthe claw in question.

Because the are over which the cartridge is clamped by the link clawsgoverns the degree of restraint exerted by said link, it becamenecessary, in the case of links having claws which gripped through theend-sections of tabs splayed away from the base circumference of theclaw, and in order to ensure a predetermined clamping arc, to extend thetips of the claws by a length approximately equal to that of the bearingtabs requiring to be formed on said tips.

On the other hand, this oversizing of the link claws resulted in thecartridge being in a more raised firing position, which in turncomplicated the problem of having the cartridge engaged by the slidingbolt of the gun.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improvedcartridge feed system of this kind which is free from theabove-mentioned drawback of feed systems employing clawed links whichreact against the lateral lips of the insertion aperture through theedges of outwardly splayed end tabs.

The ammunition feed system according to this invention includes anammunition bearer which is devised so as to successively fetch thecartridges, interconnected by links having front and rear claws, into aninsertion position wherein the link clamping the associated cartridgereacts, through said front and rear claws, against the lateral lips ofan insertion aperture formed in the base-plate of said ammunitionbearer, the said system being characterized in that the cartridgeinterconnecting links and the lateral lips of said insertion apertureare so devised that,

firstly, each link comprises a front claw'and a rear claw which are bentinwardly to form inclined flat tabs contained within the apparentcross-sectional contour of each claw,

and, secondly, the link clamping a cartridge in its insertion positionreacts against the lateral lips of the insertion aperture through themedium of the outer lateral wall of the inwardly inclined tab formed atthe end of each of its claws, the inclination of the contact andreaction surfaces of said tabs and said lips being such that saidsurfaces co-operate reversibly and permit subsequent extraction of thecartridge by a radial expansion of the link claws clamping saidcartridge.

The present invention further includes in its scope those ammunitionfeed systems of the kind hereinbefore disclosed as embody theabove-disclosed features, and such special components and tools, andmore particularly the ammunition bearers, special links and machine forshaping such links as are required for obtaining such systems.

The description which follows with reference to the accompanyingnon-limitative. exemplary drawings will give a clear understanding ofhow the invention can be carried into practice.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows in sectional side elevation a cartridge belt typeammunition feed system according to the invention, with a cartridgeillustrated in dot-dash lines in its insertion position;

FIG. 2 is an underneath view of a component link of said cartridge belt,said link being devised in accordance with this invention; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic cross-sectional views on an enlargedscale taken through the lines Ill-III and IV-IV respectively of FIG. 1.

The ammunition feed system for a small-caliber automatic weapon shown inFIG. 1 is a direct feed system comprising basically an ammunition bearerl capable of feeding into the weapon a cartridge belt of which eachcartridge 2 is clamped by a link 3 formed with front and rear claws 3aand 3b, respectively, for clamping the cartridge 2, said link furtherincluding, between said claws and extending in diametrically opposedtransverse directions, an arch 3c and a hook 311 (shown clearly in FIG.2) for uniting that particular link with the adjacent links whereby toform the cartridge belt.

The base-plate of ammunition bearer 1 is formed with a longitudinalinsertion aperture la located vertically above the guns feed channel,said ammunition bearer including means (well known per se) for holdingtemporarily motionless, in a position of slight forward inclination,that cartridge 2 which is in a position of insertion and which has itsassociated link 3 reacting against the lateral lips of insertionaperture la (in a manner to be explained in greater detail hereinbelow)through the medium of its front and rear claws 3a and 3b.

This cartridge 2, which is thus provisionally restrained in an insertionposition through reaction of the front and rear claws 3a and 3b of itslink 3 against the lateral lips of insertion aperture 10 formed in thebase-plate of ammunition bearer 1, is engaged from its rear by the gun'ssliding bolt 4 in the course of the forward return motion thereof,whereby to be extracted from its link 3 and to be pushed forward intoits firing position in the breech prior to being struck by thefiring-pin.

In the sectional views of FIGS. 3 and 4, the hatched area S is the areaover which the guns sliding bolt 4 engages the base 2a of cartridge 2from the rear.

In accordance with the principal teaching of this invention, as clearlyillustrated by FIGS. 2 to 4, the feed system devised overall ashereinbefore specified is furthermore so contrived, notably in respectof the configuration of the claws 3a and 3b of links 3 and that of theinsertion aperture 1a of ammunition bearer 3, that,

firstly, the tips e of the front and rear claws 3a and 3b of each linkbe turned inwardly whereby to form inclined flat tabs contained withinthe apparent cross-contour of the respective claws, and

secondly, the link clamping a cartridge in its insertion position (as inthe case of cartridge 2 shown in FIG. 1) react against the lips ofinsertion aperture In via the outer lateral walls e of the inwardly benttabs formed on the tips e of the front and rear claws 3a and 3b of saidlink, the co-operating surfaces e and s, of each claw end and of thelateral lip of insertion aperture la, respectively, being so inclinedthat they permit, by a reversibility effect, extraction of the cartridge2 from the claws 3a and 3b of link 3, such extraction being accompaniedby a radial expansion of said claws.

Thus, the claws 3a and 31) offer in respect of cartridge 2 a maximumclamping angle A in conjunction with a likewise maximum engagement areaS.

In other words, all other things being equal from the standpoint ofeffectiveness of the cartridge clamping by the link, the presentinvention provides improved engagement of the cartridge by the slidingbolt of the weapon.

Further, the reaction of the claw thrust planes are directed inwardlyand hence contribute towards effective clamping of the cartridge.

It should be noted that the inclined thrust surfaces s, formed on thelateral lips ofinsertion aperture In for receiving the claws 3a and 3bof the links 3 should preferably be restricted, as shown in FIG. 1, tothe respective levels of the claws, said thrust surfaces s beingaccordingly formed by local bevels on the said lateral lips, at thelevels in question, the bevels s, associated to the front claw 30 beingmade efiective over a greater height than those associated to the rearclaw 3b whereby to obtain the required forwardly inclined insertionposition of the cartridge 2.

Regardless of the embodiment adopted, the ammunition feed systemaccording to this invention ofiers obvious advantages which stem fromthe configurations of the links and the co-operating reaction surfacesof the insertion aperture in the ammunition bearer.

It goes without saying that changes could be made in the above-describedembodiments of the feed system without departing from the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. An improvement to a cartridge belt feed system for automatic weapons,comprising an ammunition bearer adapted to successively conveycartridges interconnected by links having front and rear claws into aninsertion position wherein the link clamping a given cartridge reacts,through said front and rear claws, against the lateral lips of aninsertion aperture formed in the base-plate of said ammunition bearer,said improvement residing in the fact that the cartridge interconnectinglinks and the lateral lips of said insertion aperture are so devisedrespectively that,

firstly, each link comprises a body having a front pair of claws,inwardly bent tips on said claws whereby to form flat inclined tabslying within the apparent cross-contour of the claw in question, flatlaterally outer surfaces being provided on said tabs, and

secondly, each said link when clamping a cartridge in its insertionposition reacts against the lateral lips of the insertion aperturethrough the laterally outer walls of the inwardly inclined tabs, thelength of the body of said claw above said lips being less than theheight of said body above the points at which said tabs grip acartridge, the inclinations of the contact and reaction surfaces of saidtabs and of said lips being such that they co-operate reversibly andpermit subsequent extraction of the cartridge in conjunction with aradial distension of the link claws clamping said cartridge.

2. A cartridge belt feed system as claimed in claim 1, wherein theinclined thrust surfaces formed on said lateral lips of said insertionaperture are restricted to the respective levels of said claws, saidreaction surfaces being accordingly fonned by local bevels provided onsaid lateral lips at said levels, those bevels which are associated tosaid front claw being operative over a greater height than thoseassociated with said rear claw whereby to obtain the required forwardlyinclined cartridge insertion position.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE COECTWN Patent 3 ,653,289 DatedApril 4 1972 lnventofls) Bernard Maillard It'is certified thaterror'appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading under "FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA" please delete"Switzerland" and substitute therefor Luxembourg-.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETQHER,JRQ ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK Attesting Officer vCommissioner of Patents FORM pomso (10459) USCOMM-DC 60376-1 69 U45.GOVERNMENT PRINTlNG OFFICE 1 I959 035G'3J4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3,653,289 Dated April 4 1972 Inventor)Bernard Maillard It is certified that error" appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

In the heading, under "FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA" please delete"Switzerland" and substitute therefor Luxembourg.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARRMJLETCHERJR. ROBERT GOT'I'SCHALK Attesting Officer- Commissionerof Patents USCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 us, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 19550-368-334 FORM PO-105O (10-69)

1. An improvement to a cartridge belt feed system for automatic weapons,comprising an ammunition bearer adapted to successively conveycartridges interconnected by links having front and rear claws into aninsertion position wherein the link clamping a given cartridge reacts,through said front and rear claws, against the lAteral lips of aninsertion aperture formed in the base-plate of said ammunition bearer,said improvement residing in the fact that the cartridge interconnectinglinks and the lateral lips of said insertion aperture are so devisedrespectively that, firstly, each link comprises a body having a frontpair of claws, inwardly bent tips on said claws whereby to form flatinclined tabs lying within the apparent cross-contour of the claw inquestion, flat laterally outer surfaces being provided on said tabs, andsecondly, each said link when clamping a cartridge in its insertionposition reacts against the lateral lips of the insertion aperturethrough the laterally outer walls of the inwardly inclined tabs, thelength of the body of said claw above said lips being less than theheight of said body above the points at which said tabs grip acartridge, the inclinations of the contact and reaction surfaces of saidtabs and of said lips being such that they co-operate reversibly andpermit subsequent extraction of the cartridge in conjunction with aradial distension of the link claws clamping said cartridge.
 2. Acartridge belt feed system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclinedthrust surfaces formed on said lateral lips of said insertion apertureare restricted to the respective levels of said claws, said reactionsurfaces being accordingly formed by local bevels provided on saidlateral lips at said levels, those bevels which are associated to saidfront claw being operative over a greater height than those associatedwith said rear claw whereby to obtain the required forwardly inclinedcartridge insertion position.